Circled Ridges Frosting Design

To begin this simple frosting design, apply the top coat of frosting and smooth it on the top and sides. A frosting such as a buttercream frosting should be used with this circled ridges frosting design so that it holds the details of the design when decorating cakes or other desserts.

Circled Ridges Frosting Design

Using a decorating comb, begin creating the lines around the sides of the cake by pressing the comb at a right angle into the frosting, starting at the bottom edge of the cake. Turning the cake as you go, hold the comb steady to form straight lines in the frosting.

Once you have gone all around the cake, move the comb up the side to make another row if necessary to cover all the way up to the top edge of the cake.

After the sides are covered with lines all the way to the top, it may be necessary to touch up the lines. Use the edge of the tool to fix minor flaws. Place the teeth of the tool in the lines that need fixing and careful touch up these areas.

Create circles of ridged lines on the top by placing the comb on the top of the cake with the inside corner at the center of the cake. Holding the comb straight up, turn the cake so the comb is creating circles of ridged lines around the top of the cake. Turn the cake until you have made a complete circle.

Depending on the size of your cake, the comb may not reach all the way to the outer edge. If not, move the inside corner of the comb to the outer edge of the circle of lines and press it into the frosting and turn the cake again to create the circle of ridged lines out to the edge of the cake so that the entire top of the cake is covered.

Note: If you have placed wax paper under the cake, protecting the cake plate or board, it can be removed now. Slowly slide the paper out by carefully sliding it left to right as you gently pull it out. Do not just pull it out towards you because you will run more of a risk of damaging the bottom edge of the cake and frosting.

When finished, the circled ridges of this easy cake decorating method create a pattern of circles on the top and around the sides of the frosted cake. The cake can be served as is or additional trimmings can be added if desired.

Alternative Method for Creating the Circled Ridges Design

If you do not have a decorating comb available, a large fork or meat fork would work to make the ridged lines in the frosting. See the directions below.

To use a fork, begin at the bottom edge and place the tines of the fork into the frosting, hold the fork steady, and turn the cake as you make ridged lines around the sides. Move the fork up the side and continue making the lines around the cake. Continue moving the fork up the sides until there are ridged lines all the way up to the top edge.

Create the circles of ridged lines on the top by placing the tines of the fork on the top of the cake with the outside tine along the outer edge of the cake. Holding the fork right side up at about a 45° angle, turn the cake so the tines of the fork are creating circle of ridged lines around the outside edge on top of the cake.

Move the fork over towards the center, placing the outside tine in the last ridge of the previous lines as a guide and follow around the cake making another circle of lines.

Continue to move the fork towards the center in this same manner, creating circles of lines around the top of the cake until it is completely covered with ridged lines.